If you’re not happy in the career you’ve chosen and you’re thinking about a career change, your not alone.  Experts have stated that the average person will have three to five major career changes in their lives.  In other words, you’ll have many careers as you move along in your professional life.

So if you are unhappy in your present career you might be looking for some career advice for your career change.  Here are a few things you can consider when deciding what kind of career is best for you at this point in your life:

• Do some self reflection and examination to see what really interests and motivates you.  If you are interested you can search for free career tests on the Internet to see what fields might be a good fit for you and your skills.
• Read as much information as you can about the field that interests you.  Get a good education on what you can do in that field, and what you might need to do (in terms of training or education) to be successful in this new career.
• Contact professionals currently working in the field for informational interviews.  You can ask these individuals what they like and dislike about the field, and in their opinion what you need to do to obtain a career in that industry.
• Join professional associations and trade groups related to your new career choice.  You’ll make some contacts that might be able to help you network and find a new job.

Thinking about changing your career can be scary, but you can do it.  Make an investment in yourself and take the time and effort needed to find out what you need to do to be successful and then go for it.

You might get excited when you read news about new jobs being created and think “now is the time for me to make a change.”  However, if you are ready to change jobs you should make that decision independent of what you see or hear on the daily news, and if you are content where you are working you should stay put.  Your career is an important part of your life – it’s who you are, it’s what you do and it’s how you support your family.  Make the decision to change jobs based on factors that are independent of economic news – career path, opportunity for growth, or personal dissatisfaction are just a few reasons you might consider taking a new position.

We’ve written before in this blog about the use of third party recruiters (or headhunters).  Don’t discount the use of a recruiter when looking for a new opportunity.  A recruiter who specializes in your industry can be a great ally in your search for a new career opportunity.  However, it is crucial that you find a recruiter who specializes in the recruitment of professionals in your industry.  While someone might be good at recruiting nurses, they probably don’t have the industry knowledge to help you find a job in a transportation related industry (for example).

If you’re only complaint about your current job is money, you can consider asking for a raise before going through a job search.  If you’re dissatisfied with things that just can’t be changed (such as room for growth) then now might be the time for you to explore your career options.

Now I have found some validation that this is true.

A recent survey done by Syracuse University and Total Executive Inc. of 300 hiring professionals found that the way a person is dressed is the third reason a candidate is hired or not hired, only behind communication skills and presentation ability. 

So what does this mean to the average job seeker?  Dress your best, no matter what, when you go to an interview.  I’ve had conversations with people who are afraid to dress for an interview because they are coming right from work.  They don’t want anyone at their current employer to suspect they are interviewing for a new position so they dress as if it were a regular day at work.  I can respect those feelings – you don’t want to put your current job in jeopardy for a position you don’t have yet.

What can you do if this is the case?  If you’re a guy, wear a button-down shirt and nice slacks to work.  Pack a tie and jacket in your car (and dress shoes if you wear casual shoes) to put on before you go to your interview.  If you take public transportation to work this might not be an option.  If you’re a woman, maybe you can wear the slacks and blouse of a nice suit and put the jacket on before you enter the interview.  A conservative blouse and skirt work well as an interview option.

It comes down to this – how committed are you to this new interview and getting this new position?  If you really want to take a good shot at getting the new job you’ll do whatever it takes, even if it means pulling over in the parking lot of a gas station to change your shirt.  You never get a second chance to make a first impression – isn’t that what the commercial says?  It’s also true when it comes to a job interview.

If you’re not familiar with the new city it’s going to be a challenge to find decent housing.  What neighborhoods are good, and what ones are not so good (in terms of safety or crime rates)?  Is there only one school district or school for the town, or are there several different schools?  If this is the case and you have a family you’re going to want to consider the quality of education for your children.  It’s a smart move to contact a local expert to help you make these significant life decisions.

Don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions of these agents.  You’re looking for a place to set down roots and (maybe) raise your family, so you need to be comfortable with the person you select to help you in your search for a new house.  Remember that the real estate agent works for you, and not vice versa.  If you don’t like the first person you speak with there are many other qualified individuals to help you find your new residence.

These pre employment tests can fall into the following categories:

Skills tests.  These tests are administered to make sure you have the skill set you say you have.  If you list on your resume that you type 80 words per
minute you might be asked to prove it.

Aptitude tests.  A potential employer wants to make sure you have the ability to do a job.  This is different from a skills test, as you might not have the specific skills for the position but would be taught them by the company.

Personality tests.  If the position you’re interviewing for requires an outgoing and energetic person and you are neither, a pre employment personality test can help the company realize this before you take the job and realize it isn’t right for you.

Drug tests.  Many employers require a pre employment drug screen.  Don’t be surprised if you are asked to do so.

Don’t be alarmed if you are asked to take one or more tests during the application process.  It’s becoming standard procedure for many companies hiring today.

The AAUW study found that one year out of college women were making only 80% of what men were making.  Ten years after graduation women were making 69% of what men were making.

Why do women make less than men?  The study took into account factors that could explain the pay gap such as choice of major.  Women often get their degrees in fields that pay less than those fields often dominated by men (like engineering).  However, the study found that in occupations where both men and women are employed women make less in salary than men.

Another factor is parenthood.  Mothers are more likely to leave the work force, take a leave of absence, or work part time than fathers.  However, one year out of college many women are not yet parents, so the gender pay gap cannot be explained away at one year.

The study concluded that even when taking into account known factors, 25% of the gender pay gap is unexplained.  The AAUW concludes this unexplained gender pay gap is likely due to sex discrimination.

Check out the AAUW web site for more information on their study.

What questions should you ask?  A few questions you might want to consider include:

• Who will be conducting the interview (name and title)? 
• Is this the direct supervisor for this position? 
• Will anyone else be involved in the interview (and if so, their names and titles)?
• Do I need to bring anything with me to the interview (like reference letters, work samples, drawings, etc.)?
• Approximately how long will the interview take (if you’re interviewing before work or on your lunch hour)?
• Will I be expected to take any tests (for measurable skills, personality inventories, etc.)?

The questions you ask will help to prepare you for your interview.  It would be unnerving to go into an interview expecting to speak with one person and find yourself across from five interviewers.  Asking a few questions will help you be on top of your game when you go in for the interview.

Dressing inappropriately for an interview.  You don’t have to wear a Brooks Brothers suit to be properly dressed for an interview, but you do need to wear a professional looking outfit.  I once interviewed a person who was in head to toe pink – pink top, pink pants, pink shoes and even pink nail polish.  Needless to say she didn’t make a professional appearance.

Poor personal appearance.  Along with dressing appropriately, make sure your clothing is clean and free of rips or tears, and that you have an overall pulled together look.  If it’s a new outfit, make sure to cut the tags off the sleeve of the jacket.  Trust me, people forget.

Bad manners.  Under this heading I’d include arriving late, arriving way too early, chewing gum, bringing in a drink to the interview, not standing up when introduced to someone, keeping your cell phone out on the table, answering your phone if it rings, and having a limp fish handshake.  This sounds silly, but it used to drive me crazy when I would interview a woman and she would leave her coat on and her purse on the table.  You might think that this is really being picky, but it was one of my pet peeves.  It made me think that person was just stopping by for a quick minute, rather than willing to invest the time in speaking with a potential employer.  My mother used to say use your company manners.  Same applies in an interview.

Failing to prepare for the interview.  This includes not doing any research on the company, not preparing to discuss your strengths and weaknesses, and not having any questions prepared for the interviewer.  See our other articles on how to prevent making these mistakes.

Talking about money.  There is a time and a place to talk about money – the interview is neither the time nor the place.  You don’t want to price yourself out of the job or make yourself look as if the only thing you care about is money.

Bad mouthing prior employers and co-workers.  You don’t want to look like a malcontent.  How does that old saying go – if you don’t have anything nice to say then don’t say anything at all.  Speaking poorly about previous employers makes you look like a complainer.

Not asking for the job.  If you liked what you heard in an interview, be sure to tell the interviewer that.  Don’t ever leave a job interview without asking for the job if it is an opportunity that interests you.

When you go out on your next interview take care not to make any of these interview mistakes.

First, what kind of hours are employees expected to work?  Are you given the opportunity to telecommute or to utilize flex schedules?  Do the successful employees get to work early every day and stay late?  Are you expected to put in extra time on the job (whether or not you are compensated for it)?

Next, what kind of dress code does this employer have?  If you have always worked in a casual dress environment you might find a formal suit and tie environment stuffy and unbearable.

Does the company offer any training and development programs for the employees?  How often are these programs offered, or how often is an employee able to take part in them?  What kind of programs do the offer?

How is the work environment structured?  Are you working in cubicles or is it an open bullpen type of environment?  Is it a bright and cheerful office space, or is it dull and drab?

Does the company have any kinds of on-site perks (like a daycare facility or gym)?

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions.  The culture that is comfortable for one person might not be a good fit for you.  Try to ascertain the culture of the company in the interview process so you’ll be able to include it when making a decision about a new job.

But there is a way to post your resume while maintaining your privacy, and that is to select the “confidential” option if the job board offers it.  Monster offers the option to post your resume while blocking out your personal contact information, name of current employer and names of references.  Interested companies will contact you via email through the job board to let you know they want to have a conversation with you.

If you’re looking to move to another city or state, posting your resume online will give you exposure to employers in that geography.  You can select your preferred job locations when posting your job.  I would also suggest including an objective statement that says you want to obtain a job as X in the new city or state.  With a few minutes at home you can give yourself exposure to many potential employers.  If you were to research employers in your desired city or state it could be a long and arduous task.

Don’t just dismiss the idea of posting your resume online.  There are some benefits to doing so.